Endangered Species Protection

In the coming decades, 500,000 species of insects are expected to go extinct. This means the devastating loss of trillions of little lives. As critical players in global ecosystems, insects must be protected not only for their intrinsic value but also to preserve balance for all life on Earth, including human society.

SPI works to protect endangered insects through legal, political, and advocacy efforts. Our current work focuses on endangered insects in the United States.

Endangered Insect Species in the United States by State

Alabama

Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

Arkansas

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

California

Euphilotes battoides allyni El Segundo blue butterfly

Apodemia mormo langei Lange's metalmark butterfly

Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis Lotis blue butterfly

Icaricia icarioides missionensis Mission blue butterfly

Speyeria zerene myrtleae Myrtle's silverspot butterfly

Euphydryas editha quino (E. e. wrighti) Quino checkerspot butterfly

Callophrys mossii bayensis San Bruno elfin butterfly

Euphilotes enoptes smithi Smith's blue butterfly

Speyeria callippe callippe Callippe silverspot butterfly

Speyeria zerene hippolyta Oregon silverspot butterfly (Threatened)

Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis Palos Verdes blue butterfly

Euproserpinus euterpe Kern primrose sphinx moth (Threatened)

Elaphrus viridis Delta green ground beetle (Threatened)

Desmocerus californicus dimorphus Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Threatened)

Euphydryas editha bayensis Bay checkerspot butterfly (Threatened)

Speyeria zerene behrensii Behren's silverspot butterfly

Pyrgus ruralis lagunae Laguna Mountains skipper

Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis Delhi Sands flower-loving fly

Polyphylla barbata Mount Hermon june beetle

Cicindela ohlone Ohlone tiger beetle

Trimerotropis infantilis Zayante band-winged grasshopper

Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus Carson wandering skipper

Lycaena hermes Hermes copper butterfly (Threatened)

Bombus franklini Franklin's bumble bee

Dinacoma caseyi Casey's june beetle

Connecticut

Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)

Florida

Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus Schaus swallowtail butterfly

Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri Miami blue butterfly

Strymon acis bartrami Bartram's hairstreak butterfly

Anaea troglodyta floridalis Florida leafwing butterfly

Cicindelidia floridana Miami tiger beetle

Guam

Hypolimnas octocula marianensis Mariana eight-spot butterfly

Vagrans egistina Mariana wandering butterfly

Hawaii

Manduca blackburni Blackburn's sphinx moth

Drosophila aglaia Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila heteroneura Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila montgomeryi Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila mulli Hawaiian picture-wing fly (Threatened)

Drosophila musaphilia Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila neoclavisetae Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila obatai Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila substenoptera Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila tarphytrichia Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila hemipeza Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila ochrobasis Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Drosophila differens Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Megalagrion nigrohamatum nigrolineatum Blackline Hawaiian damselfly

Megalagrion pacificum Pacific Hawaiian damselfly

Megalagrion nesiotes Flying earwig Hawaiian damselfly

Drosophila digressa Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Megalagrion leptodemas Crimson Hawaiian damselfly

Hylaeus assimulans Assimulans yellow-faced bee

Hylaeus longiceps Hawaiian yellow-faced bee

Hylaeus anthracinus Anthricinan yellow-faced bee

Megalagrion oceanicum Oceanic Hawaiian damselfly

Hylaeus facilis Easy yellow-faced bee

Megalagrion xanthomelas Orangeblack Hawaiian damselfly

Drosophila sharpi Hawaiian picture-wing fly

Hylaeus hilaris Hilaris yellow-faced bee

Hylaeus mana Hawaiian yellow-faced bee

Hylaeus kuakea Hawaiian yellow-faced bee

Illinois

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Indiana

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Iowa

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Kansas

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

Maine

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Maryland

Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)

Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Massachusetts

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)

Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Michigan

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

Brychius hungerfordi Hungerford's crawling water beetle

Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly

Oarisma poweshiek Poweshiek skipperling

Minnesota

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

Hesperia dacotae Dakota skipper (Threatened)

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Mississippi

Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

Missouri

Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle

Montana

Lednia tumana Meltwater lednian stonefly (Threatened)

Zapada glacier Western glacier stonefly (Threatened)

Nebraska

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

Cicindela nevadica lincolniana Salt Creek Tiger beetle

Nevada

Ambrysus amargosus Ash Meadows naucorid (Threatened)

Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus Carson wandering skipper

Icaricia (Plebejus) shasta charlestonensis Mount Charleston blue butterfly

New Hampshire

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

New Jersey

Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)

New Mexico

Euphydryas anicia cloudcrofti Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly

Speyeria nokomis nokomis Silverspot (Threatened)

New York

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

Hemileuca maia menyanthevora (=H. iroquois) Bog buck moth

North Carolina

Neonympha mitchellii francisci Saint Francis' satyr butterfly

North Dakota

Hesperia dacotae Dakota skipper (Threatened)

Northern Mariana Islands

Hypolimnas octocula marianensis Mariana eight-spot butterfly

Vagrans egistina Mariana wandering butterfly

Ischnura luta Rota blue damselfly

Ohio

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Oklahoma

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

Oregon

Speyeria zerene hippolyta Oregon silverspot butterfly (Threatened)

Icaricia icarioides fenderi Fender's blue butterfly (Threatened)

Bombus franklini Franklin's bumble bee

Euphydryas editha taylori Taylor's (=whulge) checkerspot

Puerto Rico

Atlantea tulita Puerto Rican harlequin butterfly (Threatened)

Rhode Island

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

South Dakota

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

Hesperia dacotae Dakota Skipper (Threatened)

Texas

Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

Batrisodes texanus Coffin Cave mold beetle

Texamaurops reddelli Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle

Rhadine persephone Tooth Cave ground beetle

Heterelmis comalensis Comal Springs riffle beetle

Stygoparnus comalensis Comal Springs dryopid beetle

Rhadine infernalis [no common name] beetle

Batrisodes venyivi Helotes mold beetle

Rhadine exilis[no common name] beetle

Utah

Speyeria nokomis nokomis Silverspot (Threatened)

Virginia

Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Washington

Euchloe ausonides insulanus Island marble butterfly

Euphydryas editha taylori Taylor's (=whulge) checkerspot

West Virginia

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Wisconsin

Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly

Hemileuca maia menyanthevora (=H. iroquois) Bog buck moth

Oarisma poweshiek Poweshiek skipperling

Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

Wyoming

Zapada glacier Western glacier stonefly (Threatened)

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